Slow Food® Utah

Individual Recipes with a Slow twist, submitted by Friends of Slow Food Utah.

• Cheese Flan (or Spinach Flan in parentheses)
• Ingredients

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

2/3 up milk

3 large eggs

(1 ½ pkg. frozen chopped spinach, only for spinach flan)

6 oz. aged Rockhill Farmhouse gouda (or 1 ½ oz. only in spinach flan)

Salt

(nutmeg to taste in spinach flan?)

pan for water bath

• Preparation

(Heat spinach any way you want, then drain and squeeze as dry as you can get it. Chop finely, but if using a food processor, be careful not to puree it.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Liberally butter or oil six 4-oz. molds or ramekins.

In heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat, then add the flour and whisk constantly for three full minutes to blend completely. Slowly drizzle in milk while stirring constantly to make bechamel sauce. Sauce should be thick but not gluey. (It’s easier than it looks, but it takes patience.) Remove from heat.

Put béchamel in blender, add three eggs and pulse to blend. Don’t over mix. Add all the cheese and blend for two minutes. Add salt to taste. (For spinach flan, into béchamel completely whisk – you don’t have to do in blender -- in spinach, eggs, cheese, salt and nutmeg to taste.)

Pour mix into prepared ramekins. Place ramekins in roasting pan, put in oven and pour hot water in pan until it reaches 2/3 way up sides of ramekins. Bake uncovered until puffy and firm (about 30 minutes). Remove from water bath and place on rack to cool 1-2 minutes. Flans will deflate.

Run sharp knife around the edge of each one, place a plate on top, turn it over and shake it once quickly to break it free. Serve immediately.

6 servings

Source: Tim Vitale October, 2006

• Fresh Green Peas and Sugar Snap Peas in Sesame Dressing
• Ingredients

3 cups fresh shelled peas

12 oz. Sugar snap peas, trimmed

2 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp brown sugar (packed)

1 tsp coarse kosher salt

½ tsp freshly ground pepper

• Preparation

Cook shelled peas in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until almost tender, about 1 ½ minutes. Add sugar snap peas to the same pan and continue boiling 30 seconds. Drain; rinse under cold water and drain again. Transfer to a large bowl.

Whisk vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl to blend. (Peas and dressing can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Set stand separately at room temperature.) Pour dressing over peas and toss to coat. Season salad to taste with more salt and pepper if desired. Serve at room temperature.

6-8 servings

Source: Bon Appetit July, 2004

• Fresh Pea Soup
• Ingredients:

4 cups chicken stock

1 russet potato, peeled and chopped

6 green onions, white part only, chopped

2 cups shelled peas

salt and freshly ground white pepper

Fresh chives minced as a garnish

• Preparation:

In a saucepan, combine the stock, potato, and scallions, place over medium heat, and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook until the potato is tender, about 15 minutes. Add the peas, re-cover, and cook until the peas are tender, 5 to 10 minutes longer.

Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Purée the soup in a blender or food processor. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, if serving hot, or into a bowl, if serving cold.

To serve hot, reheat gently, season to taste with salt and pepper, ladle into warmed bowls, and garnish with the chives. To serve cold, let cool, cover, and refrigerate until well chilled. Season to taste with sal and pepper, ladle into chilled bowls, and garnish with chives.

Serves 4

Source: "San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market Cookbook", by Hirsheimer, Knickerbocker

• Grilled Bread with Red Relish
• Ingredients:

2 large red bell peppers, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½" dice

1 large yellow bell pepper, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½" dice

3 medium ripe red tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp harissa or cayenne

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 baguette, cut on a sharp diagonal, into 1 ½" slices, about 18-24

• Preparation:

Preheat an outdoor grill or preheat the broiler. Place the tomatoes in a frying pan and cook over high heat, stirring, until the liquid has evaporated, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the tomatoes to a bowl. Add the red and yellow peppers, garlic, cumin, cayenne, olive oil, lemon juice, and parsley to the tomatoes. Mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place in the center of a serving dish.

Grill or broil the slice of bread on each side until light golden. Place the bread around the relish on the serving dish and serve.

Source: "You Say Tomato", by Joanne Weir

• Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salsa
• Ingredients

6 medium ears of corn, husked

4 Anaheim chili peppers

6 plum tomatoes, chopped

2 cans (14.5 ounce) black beans, rinsed and drained

4-6 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2/3 cup onion, small dice

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• Preparation

Grill (or broil) chilies and corn until charred. Cut corn from cob. Peel peppers; remove and discard cores and seeds, then chop. Mix in a large bowl with the remaining ingredients.

Makes 2 quarts

Source: Jim Light  HomeCooks Culinary Adventures

• Marinated Cucumber Salad
• Ingredients

4 medium cucumbers, peeled

1 medium sweet onion, peeled, halved, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1½ cups cider vinegar

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• Preparation

Score the side of each cucumber lengthwise with the tines of a fork. Slice cucumbers widthwise into ¼ inch rounds and add to a large bowl with the other ingredients. Let the salad marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

To serve, remove the cucumber and onion slices with tongs allowing the marinade to drip off. Serve with sliced summer tomatoes from the market.

6 servings

Source: Jim Light  HomeCooks Culinary Adventures

• Mexican Rice, Zucchini, and Chicken Salad
• Ingredients:

3 cups diced zucchini or yellow summer squash

1 ½ cups cooked white or brown rice

1 ½ cups diced cooked chicken

½ cup chopped scallions, white and tender green parts

2 tbsp minced fresh parsley

1/3 cup canola or other light vegetable oil

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

½ tsp chili powder

½ tsp salt

freshly ground black pepper

½ cup crumbled queso blanco or farmer cheese

• Preparation:

Bring a medium-sized pot of salted water to a boil. Add the zucchini to the boiling water. Blanch for 1 minute, until barely tender crisp. Drain, plunge into cold water to stop the cooking, drain again, and pat dry. In a large bowl, combine the zucchini, rice, chicken, scallions, and parsley. In a small bowl, whisk together the oils, lemon juice, chili powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Pour over the salad and toss to coat. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl, sprinkle with the cheese, and serve.

Serves 4.

Source: "The Classic Zucchini Cookbook," Ralston, Jordan, Chesman

• Potato and Cabbage Casserole
• Ingredients

1½ pounds potatoes, Idaho, unpeeled, washed

Water, boiling

½ pound apple wood smoked bacon, cut into 3" strips

1 cup onion, sliced

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon thyme, fresh (1/2 teaspoon dried)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1½ cups beer (12oz)

½ cup milk

6 cups cabbage, shredded (1.5 pounds)

1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded

• Preparation

Steam the potatoes in 1 inch of boiling water 30 to 40 minutes, or until tender. When cool enough to handle, slice potatoes, unpeeled, into half-inch slices; set aside.

Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp; set aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat; sauté onion in same skillet until golden.

Stir in flour, thyme and salt. Gradually add beer and milk; stir, over low heat, until mixture boils and thickens.

Place the cabbage in a large pot of boiling, salted water for 1 minute. Pour the cabbage into a colander and spray with cold water. Drain the water out thoroughly. Pour the cabbage on paper towels and pat cabbage to remove as much water as possible.

In 3-quart casserole, layer half the cabbage, potatoes, bacon, cheese and sauce; repeat with remaining ingredients. Cover and bake in preheated 375 F oven 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer, or until cabbage is tender.

4 servings

Source: Jim Light  HomeCooks Culinary Adventures

• Spinach Spanakopita

Recipe by: Amber Billingsley (Family Recipe)

"Spanakopita – Pittes" are a traditional Greek savory pie. Generally made with spinach, wild spring greens can also be used such as mint, sorrel, fennel, dill, dandelion greens, or mustard greens.  This is the recipe for the Spinach Spanakopita provided at the Slow Food Utah and Wasatch Community Gardens booth at the Salt Lake City, Utah, Downtown Farmers Market June 11, 2005.

• Ingredients:

4 lbs. fresh spinach

1 small bunch each chopped dill and flat leaf parsley

4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

2 large onions, chopped

1 bunch scallions, chopped

1 lb. feta, crumbled

2 eggs, slightly beaten

½ t. nutmeg

½ lb. phyllo dough, thawed

1 stick butter, melted

• Preparation:

Wash spinach thoroughly, drain well, and chop. Sauté in several batches in 2 Tbs. oil over med-high heat until wilted. When cool thoroughly squeeze excess liquid from spinach. Transfer spinach to large bowl. Heat remaining oil and sauté onions and scallions until soft.

Add onions to spinach, stir in dill, parsley, feta, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Add beaten eggs and combine.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unfold phyllo sheets on a work surface and cover with a barely moistened towel so they don’t dry out. Line a 9x13" baking pan with 10 sheets of phyllo, brushing each layer with melted butter.

Spoon filling into the pan and spread evenly. Drape remaining phyllo over filling, one sheet at a time, brushing each layer with butter. Brush top with butter and bake until golden brown, about 50 minutes. Let cool for about 30 minutes before cutting into squares.

Appetizer of blanched asparagus, and radishes, with softened unsalted butter, and coarse sea salt for dipping.

Source: Amber Billingsly.

• Etymology of Spanakopita  (From Merriam-Webster Online):

  – New Greek spanakopEta, from spanaki spinach + pEta, pita pie.

  – A traditional Greek pie of spinach, feta, and seasonings baked in phyllo.

• Tomato Braised Lamb Shanks

Recipe by: Chef Greg Neville

Greg Neville of Lugano Restaurant who has been a Slow Food member for many years. Chef Neville uses lamb raised organically and without hormones in Morgan Valley in this light, springtime version of classic braised lamb shanks.

• Ingredients

4 ea. Morgan Valley Lamb shanks (available at Emigration Market), frenched, knuckle off, approx. 16-20 oz. Each.

5 tomatoes, coarsely chopped

6 oz. red wine

About 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

8 garlic cloves, minced

3 bay leaves

4 oz. assorted herbs such as thyme and rosemary, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

2 carrots, minced

1 celery stalk, minced

2 onions, chopped

• Preparation

Dredge (lightly coat) lamb in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Quickly brown lamb shanks in hot oil. Place in baking/braising pan. Cut tomatoes and place in pan over shanks. Add wine. Add carrot, celery, onion mixture. Add herbs and enough stock to cover shanks. Braise them by slowly cooking the browned meat in a heavy pot or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid for a minimum of 4 hours in a 325-degree oven. This could take an additional hour, depending on your oven. It’s okay to prepare the shanks in the morning the day of your meal, or even the day before. Then you can easily skim off any excess fat after the dish has cooled. Use the broth in the pan as the sauce for the shanks.

Serve shanks with an arugula salad from Bell Organic Farms (available at Liberty Heights Fresh), dressed with:

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

juice of 1 lemon

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Lugano Restaurant. 3364 South 2300 East, Salt Lake City, Utah. 801–412–9257.

Source: From the article "Slow Food, from Italy to Utah: Grow, Cook and Eat ‘Slow’." by Amber Billingsley, Catalyst Magazine, Vol. 24, No. 5, May, 2005.

Recipes: Other Resources including Slow Food Organizations

• Slow Food Members’ Favorite Winter Recipes Posted March, 2007 in the Slow Food Forum. You may post you favorite Winter recipe here too.